Eizel Mere, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: There are companies who have integrated smartwatches to their apps and they give you points/money for steps others provide you with money to buy devices that help you be in shape. There are companies that provide life alert necklaces. I can assist you into looking at the specifics and help find the companie and plan that better suits your needs.

Answer: That is a good question. The answer is no. Why? When you have a Medicare advantage plan they become your primary plan. You are bind to the doctor network and pharmaceutical formulary. The good thing about having a medicare advantage plan over original medicare is the maximum out of pocket and specific copays.

Answer: The financial risk is being responsible for 20% of the cost. There is no maximum out of pocket.

The only people who should consider that are people with Medicaid and VA/Tricare and even those are loosing out on benefits like food cards, dental, vision, hearing, etc.

Answer: Hearing the stories. I am in my thirties and listening to how people underwent their problems, relationships, raising kids is the best part for me. Some stories are funny, some are sad but there is always something for me to learn. I teach my clients Medicare, insurance and they teach me patience, resilience, how to avoid some mistakes, etc.

Answer: HMO plans work with a network. If you do not want to pay the full ammount you can switch plans to a plan the cardiologist takes or you can find a cardiologist in network. Another option is a PPO plan. Those have higher copays and lower benefits, but some people need those.

Answer: I get asked thos more that I thought I would. I studied to be a veterinarian. When I was in the field I quickly realized it was not my career. I felt pushed to sell things I did not feel every case needed. As an insurance agent I dont sell, I advice. My clients dont pay me, the company pays me and since I work with many companies I can offer the best for every case. Also, being my own boss and having the flexibility to be there when my kids need me are a giant plus.

Answer: Every year companies makes changes to the plans so every year you should have a review. The change for every company becomes effective Jan 1st of the following year. You have from Oct to Dec and Jan to March to review and change if you choose to.

Another time to review your plan is of you move county, have a change in your Medicaid status or get diagnosed with a new condition that can qualify you for a plan with more conditions.

Answer: In my opinion the best way to navigate the options of Medicare is with an agent who represents Supplements and Advantage plans (several companies) and will go over all your options. This way you are sure to see the real options.

Answer: Medicare.gov is the easiest and most effective way. You can enter all your meds in and it will goniver your prices for the year. This time if the year you will need an sep to enroll.

Answer: There is no distinction. Most of the people I sit with who have had Medicare for years do not know how it works and do not know what things are not covered by Medicare. I explain it the same way and answer questions. People who are turning 65 are able to decide if they would like to start with a supplement and prescription drug plan or an advantage plan. I go over their health, doctors and prescriptions; What is most important for the client to get out of their plan and finally we go over the top plans available to them in their area (zip code).

Answer: Advantage plans all offer different benefits, it is important to go over them and pick one that has the benefits that are right for you. Some of these benefits are dental, vision, hearing, otc, giveback, etc. As a broker Ibam able to go iver different plans and different benefits these provide so that you can choose the best plan for you.

Answer: The con with only having Medicare parts A and B is it does not provide you with maximum out of pocket. The pro with having Medicare parts A and B is that you have no network restriction.

If you decide to choose a Medicare advantage plan it is important yo choose one that works with your needs, prescriptions and doctors. Also, it is important to review your plan every year because benefits change.

Also, if you choose an advantage plan and do not like it you can drop this plan and go back to original medicare or choose another plan. You are not stuck.

Answer: The donut hole no longer exists in Medicare. Isn't that fabulous! Now you go from initial coverage to catastrophic, which sounds bad but is really good.

Give me a call, I'd go over your questiona with you

Answer: If you have Original Medicare, you pay your yearly deductible, and after that, Medicare pays 80%, and you pay 20%. This is the rule: to every rule there are exceptions. This applies mostly to hospitals and surgeries; doctors continue charging the full amount. When you have Original Medicare (just Part A and Part B), there is no maximum out-of-pocket, which means you always pay your part.

When you have an Advantage plan (Part C) or a Supplement, you have a company that helps cover the gaps and has maximum out-of-pocket costs. This company now decides what the copay/coinsurance is, and if you reach maximum out-of-pocket, you are no longer responsible for paying.

There are other insurances that help fully cover the gaps.

Answer: There is no disadvantage. The price is the same, benefits are the same, company treats you the same. I recommend a broker because they work with many companies and they will not push a specific company on you because they have many to choose from vs an agent who works for one company.

Answer: It depends on your plan. If you have a Supplement it is not necessary to switch, it is a good idea to check prices because some have better prices. All Supplements have to cover the same but prices are different by state.

If you have an advantage plan or a prescription plan you have to switch to a plan in your new zip code. You will have a special enrollement period to switch.

Good luck!

Answer: Annual Enrollement is the moment to go over your plan options for next year. Every advantage plan changes and you should review your options every year. Every case is different. Doctor network, prescription tiers, deductibles and copays, other less important benefits should all be reviewed.

Answer: Unfortunately that is really common. Depending on what you are needing the easiest way to get answers is online via Ssa.gov account. Another way, depending on the question, is to have a dedicated knowledgeable agent to assist you. Feel free to contact me, I will try to assist.

Answer: Yes they are. If you want your kids to be involved in the process to pick out a Medicare plan they most certainly can. I have had meeting with clients and their kids in person, call or zoom.

Answer: Happy Birthday! Let me assist you in making the onboarding less complicated. Of you receive your ss benefits you will be automatically enrolled in both parta A and B of Medicare. If you do not, you will be automatically enrolled in part A only. Because of the recent goverment shutdown it is not possible to manually enroll into Medicare for now. Go to ssa.gov to reguster for an account, if you font already have one and start there. Please call me if you need further assistance.

Answer: VA is a benefit, not a health insurance plan. With VA and Tricare you still need Medicare and you are able to pick up a Nedicare Advantage plan to pay for Part B and have aditional benefits like dental. Employer plans depend on the company and plan. Some make you pick up Medicare and others dont. What I do is have my clients contact HR and get the paperwork so we can go over coverage and make the roghr decision.

Answer: There are adcantages and disadvantages to every Medicare Advantage plan. For people that have a lot of specialist and are unable to find a plan who thwy all take a PPO is better. The disadvantages are higher copays and lower benefits. The high copays can be covered with a hospital indemnity plan so you buuld yourself better coverage for a lower price than a Supplement. Let me know if I can assist you with anything.

Answer: Medicare penalties that are moest common are Part B and Part D penalties. Both are based on time and coverage. When you turn 65 and are first eligible for Medicare you must enroll unless you have creditable coverage. If you dont you will incur on a monetary penalty for the rest of your life.

Answer: It does not depend on your work status but your health plan status. If your work provides a health plan that compares to medicare in coverage you have nothing to worry about. You will still receive Medicare Part A because it is free to you if your qorked and payed taxes for the alloted time. When you retire and loose your health plan you have a specific amount of time to request and enroll into Medicare and send in a proof of insurability for the time you had 65 but not in Medicare. If your work health insurance does not have prescription drug olan you must enroll on a Part D plan.

Answer: Special needs plans are for people that qualify. D-SNP are for people with Medicaid and C-SNP are for people with certain conditions. These plans come with added benefits. In 2026 the benefits on both plans will be different as it was on 2025. Call me to verify if you qualify.

Answer: This is an old question and same answer still applies for 2026. Plans change deductibles, copays and benefits. It is important to go over the plan for 2026 and compare with other plans. Maybe the plan you have is still the best option, maybe you are now a cardiac patient and are able to qualify for a better plan or maybe in 2025 you had a car but now for 2026 are unable to drive so transport is a benefit that you will need. The perfect Advantage plan is the one that fits your needs. Call me discuss your plan for 2026, free of charge ofcourse. I will be honest and only recomend a change if necessary.

Answer: Yes. You have a specific ammount of time to avoid penalties. Important to act quickly. Give me a call to set an appointment and I will assist you.

Answer: Request a new card online via ssa.gov account. If you do not have an account go to ssa.gov and follow instructions to register. If you need the information quickly an agent can get the member ID with your permision by using tools provided to us.

Answer: Plan changes occur in periods. The IEP or initial enrollment period is when you turn 65 (even if you had Medicare through disability) and are guaranteed issue for supplements. The AEP or annual enrollment period is from October 15 to December 7, and you can change your plan many times. The last one you choose will be the one to stick. OEP or Open enrollment is from January 1 to March 31, and you can change your plan once. There are SEP or special enrollment periods available throughout the year based on personal matters. For example, moving out of the coverage area, entering or leaving a care facility, getting out of prison, weather disaster, etc.

Answer: LIS and Medicaid are available to people that need extra help. If that is not an option, every prescription drug plan has different coverage. Call me for a consult to see if we are able to find a plan that will cover your prescriptions better.

Answer: Welcome to Florida! You do not have to, but it is recomended. Supplement plans are accepted anywhere they accept Original Medicare but there may be companies in FL that have the same plan for lower monthly premium. Prescription drug plans are different and needs to be changed to your zip code network.

Answer: You will have to enroll manually into Medicare. You can open an ssa.gov account and do it online or call your local office (quicker online.) You will receive a quaterly Medicare bill to pay your premium. Once you start receiving your social security it will be automatically deducted.

Answer: Original Medicare has high deductibles and copays, you are leaving yourself woth may gaps to pay out of pocket. The worst been there is no maximum out of pocket. The best option is case by case. Call me for a free consult and I will be able to advice you properly and honestly.

Answer: Unfortunately there are anual changes with every Advantage plan and prescription drug plan. A good broker will touch base with you to go over plan changes and changes in your health (doctors, medicine, conditions, goals) to make sure you are still on the best plan for you.

Answer: Meducare does not pay for groceris. There are benefits included with Advantage plans that provide a card for healthy foods. These plans come with added enrollement qualifications. Call me to see if you qualify.

Answer: A common misconceptions us that Medicare covers long term care. The fact is that it does not. You get 91-150 lifetime days at the hospital and up to 100 days in Skilled Nursing Care. Medicaid helps cover long term care but if you have assets you have to go through what is called a Medicaid spend down to qualify.

Answer: Medicare can be simple if you have a good broker who will break it down for you. You will see on your Medicare card (red, white and blue) your formal name, MBI# (Medicare ID) and Part A followed by date and Part B followed by date. If there is no Part B info then there is no Part B coverage. Another way to know is to log in to your ssa.gov account. If you do not have Part B it will give you the option to enroll. To get an ssa.gov account go to website and follow instructions to register.

Answer: Medicare Advantage plans include different benefits. One of those is teleconsults. Going over different plans is th best way to choose the best one for you.

Answer: Some Medicare Advabtage plans cover alternative therapies like acupuncture and chiropractor. There are copays and there is a maximum of visits.

Answer: If you already have Medicare, Parts A(hospital), B (Medical) and D (Prescription), there is nothing special to do now, only your Medicare review for Annual Enrollement Period October to December. If you had health insurance through work and only had Part A and maybe Part D you need to enroll in Part B and maybe Part D. You will know if you had Part A only by looking at your card, it will not say Part B.

Answer: Medicare has, as you mentioned, part A and B. Part A is free as long as you worked and payed taxes 10 yrs or 40 quarters. Part B has a monthly premium of $185. When ypu receive SS benefits it should come out of your monthly stipend. If you did not enroll on Part D you are missing that part to cover prescriptions. If you enrolled in an Advantage plan with Part D then it is covered.

Answer: I will answer your question assuming you have a High Deductible Suplement plan. You pay a monthly premium and a desuctible before your plan starts to cover. All Suplement companies have the same plans (G,N, etc) and these have the same coverage. Depending in your age and health it is still possible to revisit this decision.

Answer: If you receive social security or railroad benefits you will be automatically enrolled into Medicare. You will receive your card in the mail, usually 3 months before your birthday month. If not, you can enroll into Medicare Part B online or in the Social Security office. To avoid penalties you need Part A, Part B and Part D.

You then consult with a broker who works with both Supplements and Advantage plans so they can explain how both work and offer an impartial advice.

Feel free to contact me for help.

Answer: Getting tonknow your plan. The copays, deductibles and out if pocket costs. There are plans specific for people with conditions like diabetes that also help.

Answer: It is recommended to sit down with somebody knowledgable to go over the different options. There are deadlines, penalties and decisions that can only be made once. At the end of the day it is your health plan and you make the decision. It is my job to provide with all the information to make the correct decision.

Answer: With Medicare Parts A and B you have Original Medicare and are subjected to Medicare copays/coinsurance and deductibles with no maximum out if pocket. You also do not gave prescription coverage. Every person is an island, every case is different but I personally do not recomend staying with just original Medicare. I would be more than happy to talk to you to go over your situation.

Answer: Annuities are the bread and butter of retirement. With a well structured indexed annuity you can stablish a lifetime pension, prepare for long term care and leave a legacy free of probate. Give me a call for more in depth information. Every company is different and I can find you the best annuity for your situation and goals with about 200 companies.

Answer: Hospital Indemnity plans will cover those out of pocket expenses and the things Medicare just does not cover. This way you are more likely to go to the doctor/hospital when you feel ill because you know you have something in place to cover your expenses. Also, the hospital indemnity plans I use do not go up in price like Medicare and Supplements do. If you cannot afford or dont want to pay for a Supplement you can have Supplement-like protection at a fraction of the cost.

Answer: That is a great question and it is something completely unfair. Doctors, hospital and medicine centers sign contracts with the insurance company. Unfortunately, to many times, I have seen doctors will stop taking a plan mid year. This happens with both HMO and PPO. It is a general problem, not a company specific ploblem.

Answer: Seniors tend to believe Long Term Care is covered by Medicare, but it is not. They will cover for up to 150 days in the hospital and up to 100 days of skilled nursing care.

Answer: You can look into Medicaid assistance. You need to apply with the Department of Children and Family. As a broker this is a process I assist my clients with.

Answer: You are guaranteed issue into a Medicare Supplement Plan when you turn 65 years old and it ends when you turn 66. Ypu can enroll into the plan up to 6 months in advance but it will be effective the 1st ofbthe month of your 65th birthday. That is also applicable for the people who have Medicare because of a disability or condition.

Answer: The questions you should be asking are: What is not covered by Medicare? How can I cover myself for those instances?

Answer: One a year ypu should take the time to sit down with your agent and review Part D plan. Formulary change every year and that may affect what you pay. This year we have the firat maximum in payment, $2000, but this only counts with medications on formulary. For the rest of the year for medications not in formulary can use prescription discounts like AARP or Canadian pharmacy.

Answer: If you are under 65 you becomes eligible for Medicare. If you are over 65 and already have Medicare you continue with your coverage. It is a good idea to talk to an agent that can help you find a olan for your new situation.

Answer: Medicare will never call you in the phone unless you have made an appointment, even then most appointments are in person in the office. If you get an unexpected call from Social security, Medicare or your Medicare company always treat it as a scam. Do not provide any information (DOB, SS, MBI) over the phone.

Answer: Utilize a prescription drug plan. Provide your agent with all the information needed to find the best plan for you so you do not have surprise copays.

Answer: The general answer is yes. It depends on the company. Some are more strict than others. Provide your agent with all the necessary information.

Answer: If you take medications this plan covers your medications, it is important to provide your agent with all the information needed to pick the best one. If you do not have medications chances are you will have in the future. There are $0 premium plan in FL, enroll in that one and avoid penalties.

Answer: Medicare advantage HMO plans you need a referal to see doctors, PPO plans ypu do not need referals but a doctor can tell you they dont take your plan. A Medicare supplement plan if the doctor take original Medicare they take your plan it does not matter the company.

The Medigap are plans used to fill the gaps of Medicare. Expensive copays like ER, ambulance and hospital. These plans do not pay your medical provider they pay you directly.

Answer: Guaranteed issue into a Medicare Supplement is available for 1 year. When you turn 65 it begins and it ends the day before you turn 66. You can enroll 3 months ahead of time, your plan is effective the 1st of the month of your birthday.

Answer: When looking for a Supplement you should know they all cover the same, have the same copays and deductibles. Plan G and Plan N are the most used in FL. When choosing a company look for percentage of raised prices during the years, they all raise the price, some more than others. Typically starting with the most inexpensive one in your area is the best way to make sure your price will stay lowest.

Answer: Many Medicare Advantage plans have apps where you can access your information, rewards. If that is important for you I can guide you to the plans that provide an app.

Answer: Medicare covers preventive care, there is a list of diagnostic procedures covered by Medicare. All Advantage plans and Supplements cover what Medicare covers.

Answer: No, you continue to use the same Medicare card. When turning 65 yrs old you will be guaranteed issue for a Medicare supplement plan. It is a good idea to seat with an agent to go over options. Feel free to contact me.

Answer: There are plans that have Givebacks to help with the Part B premium. It depends on what plans your doctor takes and whats prescriptions you take. Also Medicaid could be an option if yoir income is below the guidelines. Feel free to contact me for more information.

Answer: I advice all my clients to use every penny of the over the counter! It depends on the plan you have, you can have a health card that looks like an atm, you can have a separate benefits card ir you may have to order from a catalog. Feel free to contact me for mor information.

Answer: No, ince you have Medicare, (advantage plan or supplement) you cannot be dropped. If you try to take a supplement after turning 66 you will need to answer health questions and they will decline you for health conditions and certain medications.

Answer: You could check the plan information online or the booklet sent by the company or you could call the number on the back of your card and ask a representative. Another way is to have an annual of your plan with an agent able to show you benefits.

Answer: Part D plans change every year, prescriptions change tiers and with this price change occurs. It is important to go over the Part D plan every year to make sure it is still the best one for you. For a Part D Plan you can only make changes during AEP and OEP.

Answer: There is a Network associated with every company that offers a Medicare Advantage Plan, once you pick one you abide by the network. Plans change every year, it is important to go over your plan every year to make sure it is still the best one for you.

Answer: Most Medicare Advantage plans are $0 monthly premium. There are advantages and disadvantages to every plan, it is important to make a knowledgeable decision your first year in Medicare.

Answer: A non captive local agent is a wise idea because they can show you the bad and good of every plan available to you and which one suites your specific situation. Also, after working with these companies and our clients we can provide inside tips and help covering the gaps every plan inevitably has.